John,
Thanks for the pointers. We hope that the architecture developed for
HTTP-NG will help system architects (enterprise and otherwise) use the
Web and HTTP in a more seamless fashion. Please note that we are not
``object people'' in the more usual sense, and have no vested interest
in conforming to any theoretical object model just for the sake of doing
so. Our architecture does use ``object'' to refer to the ideas of
objects already present in HTTP: Web resources that support methods.
We are also cognizant of the importance of working with established
communities of tool makers and tool users. We've designed the HTTP-NG
type system to allow it to be used by DCOM, CORBA, and Java RMI, with
relatively little change to any of those systems. For example, CORBA's
OMG IDL, stubbers, DII, etc., could be used with HTTP-NG with some small
changes, if members of the OMG found it useful to do so. I'd expect
that in that event an RFP would be issued by the OMG TC which would
solicit ideas from members on how that could be done. In a similar
fashion, DCOM and Java RMI could be re-hosted to use the proposed
HTTP-NG substructure.
I've been asked by the Internet SIG of the OMG to present the HTTP-NG
architecture at the September meeting. This is currently scheduled from
9-10:30 on Monday, September 14th. If you have further questions at
that time, I'd be happy to discuss them with you.
Bill